Montana Sunset
from Virginia City Hill

Virginia City, Montana

Last night I was invited to join 16 other friends on an old firetruck tour of our nearby “Ghost Town” – old mining town – still our Madison County capitol – Virginia City.

The tour began around 7:45 pm. The driver spoke non-stop into his microphone and gave us a history of this town where gold brought 60,000 people to live and mine in the period from 1863 to around the beginning of 1900.

Sunset over the Tobacco Root Range

We watched the sun set as we listened to the fascinating stories of the Old West.

Headed through the little one main road town on Highway 287, we passed the old courthouse, built in 1876, still beautiful and useful today.

Heading up the hill, we passed the welcome sign, acknowledging that VC has been “Resisting change since 1863.”

About 200 people call this home year-round … maybe double that number in the summertime. But, it’s a great tourist trap. Check it out on your AAA brochures! They give it 5 stars, I think.

There are plenty of old homes on Main Street (287) and the street just above it. Don’t miss Elling House and the old stone Episcopal Church a couple blocks up the hill. Also, the old Opera House, with its great Vaudevillle type performances, at the west end of town is a must see!

The sky kept getting prettier and prettier!

We stopped at the top of Virginia City Hill by an old cemetery for some appetizers at about 8:45 pm…

…and continued to admire the sunset.

It was dazzling!

And as the sliver of a moon began to shine in a darkening sky, we headed home.

Even though their house is just around the bend from us, their view is different from ours.

Enjoy a reverse order evening…

Jack Creek Canyon sunset from DucsaysA look at the Madison Range from the Ducsays prior to sunsetEarlier in the evening with bright blue skyBehind those trees is our house.Don’t you love the open spaces and Big Sky with puffy clouds?Our “Hood” Gathering:Charley Ducsay, Diane, Terri, Janet Ducsay, Gary, me, Bob & Henry Happy 50th anniversary to Diane & Gary!!Wouldn’t you love to watch the sun setfrom such a great placewith wonderful neighbors like ours?

I wish you health, happiness, good neighbors, and blessings to spare each day.

Bob & I don’t see the river from our house, but we look out at Jack Creek Canyon in that magnificent Madison Range. The western sunset reflecting red in the eastern mountains often is part of our night’s “light show.”

These next two photos are mine…
taken a couple weeks ago
when we still had some snow on the ground.

Here is the western view.
Our house is the one tucked in
all those evergreen trees out there…